Sostenuto device for accordions



Sept. 28, 1937. o. SCHMIDT SOSTENUTO DEVICE FOR ACCORDIONS 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 9, 1936 7440 L EN 2 f4 fx1 Sept. A28, 1937. o, sCHMlDT 2,094,412

SOSTENUTO DEVICE FOR ACCORDIONS Filed April 9, 19,36 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 28, .1937.' o. SCHMIDT SOSTENUTO DEVICE FOR ACGORDIONS Filed April 9, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 J5@ am@ Patented Sept. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOSTENUTO DEVICE FOR ACCORDIONS Application April 9, 1936, Serial N0. 73,481

13 Claims.

This invention relates to accordions, and its purpose is to provide means which may be rendered effective at will for causing any given notes or group of notes to be held or sustained after the player has released the corresponding key or keys so as to produce a singing tone with respect to the sustained notes, and also leave the players ngers free for actuating other keys. One object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for this purpose which can be` applied to existing structure without any radical alteration thereof; another object is to arrange such a mechanism with control means readily accessible and easily operable independently of the hand which actuates the keys to which the sustaining device is applied. Other objects will appear from the description which follows. This is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 43,- 677, led October 5, 1935. The invention consists, in certain features and elements of construction in combination as herein shown and described and as indicated by the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional View through the keyboard of a piano accordion showing this invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan View taken at one end rof the keyboard and with parts broken away to show certain details of the structure.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken as indicated at line 3'-3 on Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail bottom plan view of some of the keys to show the construction of the catch devices thereon.

Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure l, taken through the keyboard of the piano accordion to show a modified form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the valves of the accordion with parts broken away to condense the View, and showing the modified mechanism of Figure 5.

Figure '7 is also a sectional view similar to Figures 1 and 5, ,and showing another modication of the sostenuto mechanism.

Figure 8 is a partial plan View of the same'.

Figure 9 illustrates another modification, showing a portion of the keyboard with parts of the keys broken away to illustrate the locking mechanism associated therewith.

In playing an accordion it is often desirable to produce a so-called sostenuto effect; that is, to be able to sustain the tones controlled by certain keys after the iingers are removed from those keys and pass on to other keys for playing a melody or other phrase in accompaniment with the sustained tones. The present invention supplies a relatively simple mechanism for this purpose.

As seen in Figures 1 to 4, the invention is illustrated as embodied in an accordion having a piano-type keyboard, but it will be readily understood that its utility is not confined to use with this particular style of key. The drawings show a few of the white keys, l, and the interspersed black keys, 2, of the keyboard, each pivoted at 3, and each provided with the usual return spring, 4. Secured to the under side of each key is a catch, 5, yieldingly associated with the key and shown as formed of a bent spring wire with its ends, 5e, driven into the under side of the key, and with the remainder of the wire bent double and extending longitudinally under the key from the terminals, 5a, away from the key fulcrum or pivot, 3. The bend of the wire forming the free end of the catch, 5, is thus movable vertically by reason of the yielding nature of the wire, and this movement is limited by stop washers, I5a and 6b, on a pin or nail, 6, driven into the under side of the key a short vdistance back from the bent outer end of the wire catch, 5. The lower washer, Se, rests against the head of the nail, 6, and the upper washer, 6b, may be held up in position by a smaller washer, 6, of fiber or the like, fitting tightly on the shank of the nail, 6.

The upwardly facing surfaces of these wire catches, 5, are engageable with the downwardly facing abutment surface, la, of a latch bar, 1, of hook-shaped cross-section, but it may be understood that the catch shoulders for the individual keys may be formed in Various other ways and that the specic structure of the latch bar may also be varied without departingfrom the scope of this invention.` The latch bar, Vl, is fulycrumed upon pivot pins, 8, at its outer ends, journaled in angle brackets, 9, secured in a. keybed, IU, and it will be understood that the bar, 1, extends under all the keys of the manual, although only a few of these keys at one end portion ofthe bar are illustrated in the drawings herewith.

This rockable latch bar, 1, may be conveniently made of the same hook-shaped cross-section throughout its length, and it is normally held out of latching position by means of a spring, Il, anchored to the cheek, I2, of the key frame. The upper surface of the hook-shaped bar, 1, is normally disposed just below the plane of the catches, 5, and out of the path of movement of any of these catches when their respective keys are depressed; but when the bar is shifted into locking position for engaging one of the catches to hold its key in depressed position, this upper surface of the bar will be just below the catches of the other keys. However, since each of said catches is adapted to yield upwardly when its key is depressed so as to cause the catch to encounter the upper surface of the latch bar, it will be seen that the use of the bar for retaining one or more keys in depressed position does not interfere with normal, or even staccato, operation of the keys, which, for the moment, are not held in depressed position by it. The catches, 5, are of very light spring wire so as not to impose any appreciable load on the keys when they are thus forced tov yield upwardly upon encounter with the latch bar, l.

For sluiting the latch bar into locking position the bar is provided with a lever arm, I3, overlying a cam-shaped flange, le, on a slidably mount-A ed plate, i 5, slotted at l5 for engagement with a guide post, E63. The plate, l5, is normally drawn toward one limit of its movement by a spring, ll, which may be conveniently attached to the flange, l5, at one end and to an anchorage, i8, in the cheek, l2, at the other end. For shifting the plate at will and moving the inclined cam face of the flange, Hl, under the lever arm, i3, so as to tilt the latter upwardly and rock the latch bar, l, into locking position, I provide a presser bar, 25, connected by a link, E9, to the plate, l5. Preferably, I locate this bar, 20, in the cheek, l2, of the key frame which Will be uppermost When the instrument is held in playing position, so that the operator can conveniently depress the bar, Eil, by means of his chin, thus leaving his ngers free for manipulating the key manual. Thus, whenever the score calls for a sustained tone to be held while other notes are played in accompaniment to it, the performer will first depress the key to produce the sustained tone and then will immediately press down the presser bar, 2li, with his chin, thus shifting the latch bar to bring its surface, la, into engagement with the upper surface of the catch, 5, on the key which has been depressed. By merely holding therpresser, 20, down with his chin he can thus keep the tone sounding While other keys are played in the normal manner to produce the accompanying melody or phrase; then, upon lifting the chin from the bar, 2Q, the spring, Il, will act automatically to withdraw the rockable latch bar, 1, from the catch, 5, and the key spring, ll, Will return the key to its upper limit. Thus, the performer is enabled to secure very pleasing sostenuv toreiTects When desired.

It will be seen that the mechanism just described for securing the sostenuto effect is extremely simple and does not require any substantial change in the structure of the keys or key mechanism; and the only external evidence of its presence is the relatively unobtrusive presser bar, 2B, acting through a slot in the cheek, l2, of the key frame.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate yanother arrangement embodying the same principle, but in which the latch bar engages the valves directly instead of lockingV them open Vby engaging their respective keys. In this arrangement -each valve, 30, carries a catch device made of a piece of spring wire, 3|, which may be doubled upon itself at 32, `and which has its ends anchored in the body of the valve, as indicated at 33. At a short distance back from the bent end, 32, the two arms of the Wire are engaged under the head of a stud, 34, also secured in the body of the Valve, 30, S as 00 limit the movement of the bent end, 32, away from the valve body and permit yielding movement of the spring catch member toward the valve body.

The latch bar, 35, which cooperates with these spring catch members, 3l, on the valves, extends over the valves or adjacent them and is slidably mounted upon supporting blocks, 35, to which it is held by guide arms, 31, extending from brackets, 38, which are secured to the inner surfaces of the end walls, 39, of the valve chest.

' Rocker arms, MJ, are fulcrumed at lll on brackets, 38, and are pivotally connected at d2 to the latch bar, 35. Thus the swinging movement of these rocker arms, will carrying the latch bar, 35, from its inoperativeposition into locking position, as shown in Figures and 6. It will be understood that each of the valves, 33, is operatively connected to one of the manual keys, which may be of the piano type, including the usual white keys, 5l, and black keys, 52, fulcrumed as indicated at 53. The inner end of each key carries a rigid arm, 5Fl, to which the c'orresponding valve, is secured, so that when the key is depressed its movement about the pivot axis, 53, unseats its valve, 35, and swings Ait away from the partition plate, 55, in which the valve ports (not shown) are located, If, while one or more of the valves, 3Q, are thus held open by depression of their keys, the latch bar, 35, is shifted into the position shown in Figures 5 and 6, it will engage under the bent end portions, 32, of the spring catches on the open valves. While the latch bar remains in this position it will not interfere with the opening of additional valves, 35, because their spring catches will merely yield as they contact with the under side of the bar, 35, but will not be engaged by the bar in locking relation.

The valves, 35, are disposed in two or more rows, and it will be understood that a separate latch bar, 35, Will be provided for each row of valves;

the drawings show two such bars, 35,rconnected yfor simultaneous movement by links, 56, which may be conveniently attached to the pivots, 42. Preferably, each bar, 35, is Yguided in its sliding movement by at least two rocker arms, 50, disposed near opposite ends of .the bar, and to ensure equal and simultaneousY movements of both ends, at least one pair of theserocker arms, vfill, may have bell crank arms, 44, which are connected together by arlink, 45, as seen in Figure 6. If necessary, or desirable, additional guide means (not shown) may be provided foreach of the latch bars, 35, at points intermediate its ends.

For actuating the latch bar, 35, Figures 5 and `6 show a button or plunger, 5l), mounted in the end Wall or cheek, 5l, of the key ma-nual support so as to be presented at the upper end thereof when the instrument is held in playing position, thus permitting operation of the button, 50, by the chin of the player. A flexible wire, 62, ina tubular sheath, 63, is arranged to transmit motion from the button, 6U, to the latch bars, 35, being shown as connected to one of the pivots, 42, at the. lend of a rocker arm, 4B. A coiled vtension spring, 64, normally holds the latch bars, 35, out of locking position, and will return them instantly to' inoperative position when the pressureV is removed from the actuating button, 6G. Thus l Figure '1 shows a modified form of spring catch in which the wire member, 1l, is secured into the valve body at 12, then doubled upon itself at 13 and arranged with its flexible or free end, 14, substantially over the point of attachment, 12. This tends to provide somewhat more flexibility than the form shown in Figure 5, so that the spring catches will offer a minimum of interference to the valve action when the lock bar is in locking position. The lock bar, 15, is shown as carried on rocker arms, 16, which may be connected by a rock shaft, 11, journaled in brackets 18. The second latch bar, 15a, is likewise supported for swinging into and out of locking position, and is connected to the rst by links, 19, for simultaneous movement therewith. The principle of operation is exactly the same as that of the design shown in Figures 5 and 6.

However, if desired, instead of providing a return spring for the latch bars, the chin-operated actuator may be in the form of a rocker, 89, fulcrumed on a pivotal mounting, 8|, at the middle of its length, so that it may be tilted in one direction by pressure upon its convex end portion, 82, and in the other direction by pressure upon the opposite end at 83. Detent springs, 84, may be provided to retain the rocker at either limit, and a exible wire, 85, extending through a sheath, 86, may be. connected from one end of the rocker to one of the links, 19, for actuating it in either direction.

One further modification is shown in Figure 9 in which the latch bar, 90, is represented as mounted for sliding lengthwise, and its locking edge, which is designed for engagement with the spring catches, 5, on the under side of the keys, is notched at 9|. The notches, 9|, are spaced at intervals to register with the catches, 5, and permit them to move freely through said notches. To secure the sostenuto effect it is only necessary to shift the bar, 90, suiciently to bring the notches out of registration with the catch members, 5, thus engaging the catches of any keys which are depressed at the moment while permitting the other catches to yield in the manner already described if their keys are depressed while the bar, 90, remains in locking position. The end portion, 92, of the bar, 90,' may extend through the cheek, l2, of the key frame at the end which will be uppermost when the instrument is held in playing position, so that it may be pushed downward by the chin of the operator and held down in opposition to its spring, 93, which will return the barto inoperative position when the pressure is released.

While I have shown and described several forms of my invention, it will be recognized that various other changes and alterations may be made in the features and elements thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention; in a structure in which the manual key and its valve are rigidly connected to act as a unitary sound-controlling device the latching means may be applied either to the key or to the Valve or any other rigidly associated part of the device; therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the particular structures shown herein except in so far as indicated by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In an accordion, a group of sound-controlling devices each including a valve and a manual key connected thereto for operating it, a catch associated with each of said sound-controlling devices and a latch bar movable at will into position for engaging one or more of said catches to hold the valves of the corresponding devices at open position for sostenuto effect, and -means for shifting said latch bar into engaging position, said means being located for operation by the chin of the performer at the upper end of the accordion.

2. In an accordion, a group of manual keys with spring means normally upholding them, a latch bar extending adjacent said keys, means carried by each key adapted for engagement with the latch bar when the key is depressed, and means for shifting the latch bar into such engagement with a selected key at will for holding it in depressed position, said means being located at the upper end of the accordion for operation by the chin of the performer.

3. In an accordion, a group of manual keys with spring means normally upholding them, a

latch bar extending adjacent said keys with spring means normally holding it out of latching position, each key having a catch adapted for engagement with the latch bar when the key is in depressed position, said bar being movable at will in opposition to its spring for effecting such engagement, and means for shifting the bar into such engagement including a part normally protruding from the upper end of the instrument for actuation by the chin of the performer. A

4. In an accordion, a group of sound-controlling devices each including a valve and a manual key connected thereto for operating it, with spring means normally closing the valves when their keys are released, a sostenuto device cornprising a lock adapted to be shifted at will to engage any of said devices for holding the valve or valves thereof in open position, and spring means normally holding the lock out of locking position, said lock being movable at will in opposition to its spring, and means for effecting such movement including a part normally protruding from the upper end of the instrument for actuation by the chin of the performer.

5. In an accordion, a group of sound-controlling devices each including a valve and a manual key connected thereto for operating it, with spring means normally closing the valves when their keys are released, a sostenuto device comprising a latch bar extending adjacent said sound-controlling devices with spring means normally holding it out of latching position, each of said devices having a catch adapted for engagement with the latch bar when the valve is in open position, said b ar being movable at will in opposition to its spring for eifecting such engagement and means for shifting the bar into catch-engaging position including a part nor mally protruding from the upper end of the instrument for actuation by the chin of the performer.

6. In an accordion, a group of manual keys and a latch bar formed with a downwardly facing abutment surface and extending under said keys, each key having an upwardly facing abutment adapted to be engaged by said surface of the bar when the key is in depressed position, said bar being shiftable at will for so engaging the abutment of any key which is in depressed position when the bar is thus shifted, and the abutments being connected to their respective keys for movement relative thereto, with means positively limiting such movement away from the key but permitting movement toward the key if the abutment collides with the latch bar upon depression of its key subsequent to the shifting of the bar into locking position, whereby the bar is prevented from interfering with the free movement of such key or keys while it holds another key or keys locked down for a sostenuto elfect.

7. In an accordion, a group of manual keys and a latch bar formed with a downwardly facing abutment surface and extending under said keys, each key having an upwardly facing abutment adapted to be engaged by said surface of the bar when the key is in depressed position, said bar being shiftable at will for so engaging the abutment of any key which is in depressed position when the bar is thus shifted, the abutments being yieldingly associated with their respective keys for movement toward them, and means positively limiting the movement of each abutment away from its key.

8. In an accordion, a group of manual keys and a latch bar formed with a downwardly facing abutment surface extending under the keys, each key having a spring catch arm with the free end thereof positioned to be engaged by said abutment surface of the latch bar, and a positive stop on the key to limit the downward movement of the abutment relative thereto, whereby when said latch bar is shifted into position for engaging one or more of said spring arms the arms on the remaining keys will yield upwardly upon encounter with the latch bar if said keys are depressed.

9. In an accordion, a group of manual keys, a latch bar extending adjacent said keys, means carried by each key adapted for engagement with the latch bar when the key is depressed, a rocker arm on the latch bar for swinging it into locking position and a sliding cam engageable with said rocker arm for so swinging the latch bar, together with spring means adapted to return the bar from locking positio-n and .to'maintain contact between said arm and the cam.

l0. In an accordion, a group of manual keys,

a latch bar extending adjacent said keys, means carried by each key adapted for engagement with the latch bar when the key is depressed, a rocker arm on the latch bar for swinging it into locking position andY a sliding cam engageable with said rocker arm for so swinging the latch bar, together with a depressible bar protruding from one end of the key frame for actuation by the chin of the performer and operatively connected to said cam for sliding it in engagement with the rocker arm and swinging the latch bar into locking position; and spring means for returning the parts from said position to. normal unlocking position wherein the latch bar is clear of the path of the engageable means on the keys.

11. In an accordion which includes a plurality of manually operable reed-controlling valves, a latch bar formed with an abutment surface and extending adjacent said valves, each valve having an oppositely facing abutment adapted to be engaged by said surface of the bar when the valve 'stands at open position, said bar being shiftable valves while it holds another valve or valves locked open for sostenuto effect.

l2. In an accordion which includes a plurality of manually operable reed-controlling valves, an abutment member yieldingly mounted on each of said valves, a latch bar extending over said valves and movable into position for engagement with any of said abutments, such engagement serving to hold open any valve or valves which are open when the bar is shifted while the yielding attachment of the abutments to their respective valves permits free operation of the remaining valves without interference by the latch bar notwithstanding its shifted position.

13. In an accordion, a group of sound-controlling devices each including a valve and a manual key connected thereto for operating it, a sostenuto device comprising a separate yielding catch member attached to each of said sound-controlling devices and normally movable therewith, a lock bar extending adjacent said yielding catches and having its adjacent edge notched to provide clearance openings through which the catches may normally move when the keysare operated, said lock bar being longitudinally shiftable for throwing its notches out of registration with the catches and holding in open position any valve or valves which are open when the bar is shifted, said bar being provided with means accessible at the top end of the key manual and depressible for shifting the bar into said locking position, and means for returning theV bar to unlocking position with its notches in registration -With said catches.

OTTO SCHMIDT. 

